The ROI of Doing Stuff

When is something worth doing?

We all make judgements every day about how much time and energy to devote to a task, a project, or a relationship. How do we do that?

You may think you make these decision on a rational basis. You calculate the effort required and somehow figure out if the returns are worth it. Maybe we do this, maybe we don't - I'm not convinced either way. There's probably a sociology or behavioural economist out there who has an answer. But that's not me.

It seems to me though that to calculate the personal return on effort is a dangerous game.

At some level it may make sense; for example, spending 2 hours preparing for a client meeting is maybe better than spending 5 minutes - if it helps you win the deal. Or - setting clear objectives for your team, if it means they focus on what you need them to focus on for the next 3 months.

Most of the time, the thing is - it's just not obvious what the short, medium or long time payback will be of any use of your time. This is especially true in a start up company. The purpose of a start up company of course is to uncover a viable business model. There will be much trial and error, but some things will stick and others won't. If you judge your efforts versus their short term results, you could think you're not using your time wisely.

When viewed through the lens of hindsight, often it's those persistant repeated efforts that occasionally yield gold. Individually each footstep might be in the right direction, it might not.

The journey to the mountaintop requires that you walk and keep walking. Sure, be smart, learn from your mistakes, but to judge each day's effort versus the results of that day is burden yourself with inconsequencial analysis. The big picture is what matters.

Some of the most important steps forward in our lives, or for the life or a company are small decisions. Small efforts or events. That doesn't have to mean the rest is meaningless. To find a nugget of gold you might have to pan a river for 3 years. Each day is not a wasted effort - if eventually you find a big nugget.

The Mortality of Creation

You build a sandcastle on a beach with your kids. You do so knowing that in 10 minutes time or 10 hours time it will be gone. You still build, regardless, you enjoy the process of creation.

Everything created must die.

One day Google will not exist.
One day you will not exist.
One day, the Earth will cease to exist.

Doom and gloom? Not at all.

Anything you create will one day cease to be. This is the essence of creation.

By realising this, the creation process carries more meaning. It's sharper. Creating a spreadsheet, a business plan, a family, a relationship, a sales proposal, a presentation, a web page, a brand identity, a building, an idea, a book, an ideology - all of these things start aging the moment they are created. The need constant renewal, discussion, maintenance to keep going. And despite that, one day they will die anyway.

The meaning is this: do not attach yourself to things you created in the past. Attach yourself to creations that you are keeping alive, and as you do so, you change them, renew and evolve.

Just as we enjoy building sandcastles and doodling on pads in meetings, enjoy creation for what it is, knowing it's not eternal. Creation is transitory.

Enjoy. Enjoy.

An Ode To Effort

Shrouded in mist, a jagged mountaintop
Clear for all to see, should you care to look
What is the view like? Wouldn't you like to know?
Wishing to arrive, we start to push on up.

There are no paths to follow, to this as yet unscaled trophy
We forge our our paths on a moving mountainside
Desire not the view, nor the flag on the top
Truth, absurb as it, is unknowlingly striving, relentlessly

Just as love requires space and death follows life
Without day there is no night and summer needs winter
Equilibrium finds us on our rocky ascent
It's difficulty that brings our strength. Brings our meaning.

Inspired by, "It's a long way to the top, if you wanna rock n' roll", by AC/DC